Five shoulder rests and still in pain? The problem isn’t the rest.
A 45-minute on-demand class for violinists and violists who’ve bought every shoulder rest and chin rest out there — and still fight their body every time they play.
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Each one felt better for a week.
You’ve tried the Kun. The Bon Musica. The SAS. Maybe a custom chin rest too.
By now you’re wondering if your neck is just too long, or your body just isn’t built for this instrument.
Here’s what no one told you.
A shoulder rest can only fit you in one of two states — tense or relaxed. And almost everyone fits theirs while they’re unconsciously hunching and clamping. So the rest ends up perfectly shaped to hold your tension in place.
No wonder the next one doesn’t work either. Fit your setup to a body that’s actually free, and everything changes. (You’ll probably be surprised which direction you have to adjust.)
What you’ll learn.
45 minutes · with your instrument in hand
- 01Why the shoulder-rest search fails even when you follow every fitting guide carefully.
- 02The one setup principle almost no teacher explains — and why it usually means going taller, not shorter.
- 03A live, step-by-step process to set up the rest you already own, for a body that can finally let go.
- 04How to hold the violin or viola so freely that someone could lift it out of your hands — and why that’s the goal.
By the end, you’ll have set your violin or viola on your shoulder without clamping at least once, and felt your whole body free to move with it — so you finally know what “fits” is supposed to feel like.
This isn’t a gear review. It’s not another stretching routine. It’s how to set up your instrument around a free body instead of a tense one — and you’ll feel the difference with the instrument in your hands.
This class is for you if…
Violinists & violists with neck or shoulder tension that no rest has fixed.
Players who’ve cycled through multiple shoulder rests and chin rests and still hurt.
Anyone told they have a “long neck” and needs to keep buying equipment.
Musicians who’ve tried physical therapy, stretching, and setup tweaks — and still brace every time they play.
I’ve been where you are.
I’m Joseph Arnold — professional violinist, certified Alexander Technique teacher, and author of Soulforce. For years I tried to fix my tension with more equipment and more willpower, and it only made things worse.
What finally changed wasn’t a better shoulder rest. It was learning to stop clamping in the first place — and then setting up my instrument to support that freedom. Now I help other string players do the same.
Joseph Arnold
Set up your instrument around a free body.
Enter your email for instant access. Watch on your own schedule, as many times as you like.
It costs less than the shoulder rest you were about to buy — it’s free.